Lunar Meteorite

By Matt Young

Photograph by Dan Phelps.

Meteorite

Mr. Phelps writes, “This is a lunar meteorite about the size of a thumbnail. Most of the white mineral clasts are anorthite feldspar. The darker minerals include olivine, pyroxenes, chromite and spinel. There could be minor amounts other minerals as well. The rock is described as a feldspathic regolith breccia. Basically, the rock is fragments of the lunar highlands (the feldspar), mixed in with other lunar material such as mare basalts via asteroid impacts. These meteorites are the only lunar samples legally obtainable by the general public. This specimen is North West Africa (NWA) 11273. It was excavated in Morocco or Algeria and bought by western dealers. It was obtained from meteorite dealer Eric Twelker. For more details, including specific minerals and geochemistry, see The Meteoritical Society page for NWA 11273.”